Anchor Bay football coach's hiring by alt ed program tabled

The hiring of the district’s high school football head coach as coordinator for the Compass Pointe alternative education program was tabled by Anchor Bay officials Sept. 26.

It was proposed at the regular monthly school board meeting that Jason Byers, the current Anchor Bay High School Workforce Investment Act coordinator and head varsity football coach, fill the role. However, board President Steve Mittelstadt asked if administration had explored the option of contracting the position out to save on health care and retirement benefits.

While Mittelstadt didn’t dispute Byers’ qualifications – he worked with at-risk students in Warren’s Fitzgerald Public Schools as a career development coordinator for 16 years – Mittelstadt did express concern over the budget.

“Every dollar counts,” he said. “What we’re doing is filling it with someone who will receive benefits.”

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First Mittelstadt questioned how the position had been advertised and if employees who have been laid off in recent years had been informed about the opening. Superintendent Leonard Woodside said the position was posted for about 10 to 15 days and that laid off teachers had the opportunity to apply.

The position first opened about two weeks prior to school starting because the previous coordinator was a laid off teacher who had a chance to work in the classroom again as a kindergarten teacher, Woodside stated.

After Mittelstadt’s suggestion to explore the option of contracting the position the board agreed the proposed hiring should be tabled until a full board was present. Treasure Michael LaFeve and trustees Robert Bidlingmaier and Terri Vaillancourt were absent.

Trustee Ron Osborne stated the approval to table the hiring didn’t reflect on Byers but rather that the present four trustees felt further discussion was needed.

“I think we have an exceptional person here with experience,” Vice President Janine Accivatti- Hendershot said, adding that finding a qualified and effective adult education coordinator can be difficult.

Following the board’s decision to table the issue until the October meeting, Compass Point office manager Cristine Belt asked the board to not consider contracting the position out because the 100 students at Compass Point have already had to deal with losing one director and shouldn’t have to experience that again so soon.

“They need structure,” Belt said.

Byers is currently serving as a substitute coordinator at Compass Pointe.

While it isn’t official that Byers will serve as the coordinator, board Secretary Heather Bade assured Belt and the audience the position is not being reposted and that they just felt it was necessary for the entire body to vote on the matter.

If Byers were to be hired full time as the Compass Pointe coordinator he would earn a salary of about $35,000; his predecessor earned about $45,000 a year, according to Woodside.